Coaching Vs. Mentoring, Therapy, and Consulting

As coaching becomes an increasingly popular discipline, it can be mixed in with the melting pot of terminology: mentoring, therapy and consulting. Although many individuals use such terms interchangeably, there are essential differences that sets each discipline apart from one another. Each of the disciplines have parallel concepts such as skilled practitioners, establishing strong relationships with clients, and bringing behavioral change (Bluckert, 2005). However, there are key and significant distinctions to each discipline, positioning each discipline to bring value to specific tables.

Mentoring is the transfer of personal experience from one person to another, and it is typically information given to solve an issue (Klofsten and Öberg, 2012). In contrast to coaching, a mentor will make direct suggestions rather than guiding clients to make their own decisions (Klofsten and Öberg, 2012). With therapy, skilled practitioners in this discipline are usually limited in their understanding of business culture (Berman and Bradt, 2006). The contracts and boundaries in therapy are considerably different in comparison to coaching, not to mention the extensive amount of training therapists receive (Bluckert, 2005). The major difference between therapy and coaching is that therapists address and explore deeply into the history of an individual by focusing on the past, while coaching focuses on the present and how high-functioning individuals can excel through increased awareness (Bluckert, 2005). The use of terminology differentiating the discussed disciplines will become increasingly significant as the field of coaching continues to expand.

"Coaches are action-oriented and target the personal side of the individuals."

The disciplines of coaching and consulting are most often confused, but they are the most distinct of all the disciplines. Consultants mainly focus on designing models of change and solution and these practitioners deal with information, processes and procedures (Bluckert, 2005). On the other hand, coaching is highly relational, and its focus is on the individuals in an organization and the relationships in it (Bluckert, 2005). Coaches train the soft skills, while consultants facilitate change and conflict (Berman and Bradt, 2006). While consultants tend to be more experiential and business-focused in their approach, coaches are action-oriented and target the personal side of the individuals (Berman and Bradt, 2006).

Distinctions aside, both coaching and consulting work closely with the individuals of an organization (Block, 2011). Neither of the disciplines have direct control over the decisions of their clients and both disciplines strive for people and organizations to manage themselves differently (Block, 2011; Crane, 2002). Equal partnership and commitment are also common denominators in coaching and consulting (Block, 2011; Crane, 2002). Essentially, the core mission of both disciplines is not inherently different, but the approach is where the path parts.

Coaching is not merely a process, it is a new style of leadership that allows individuals to become open and vulnerable through the practice of asking questions (Crane, 2002). Research has shown that coaching can shorten the learning curve of a new employee and aid the adaptation process during the onboarding stage (Leonard-Cross, 2010). Coaching has the ability to increase employee confidence, commitment and problem-solving skills by developing the interpersonal skills that allow new employees to grow into new roles (Leonard-Cross, 2010).

Over the past fifty years, the workplace has moved from an authoritarian leadership style to one that is self-directed (Wilson, 2004). Rather than telling employees what to do, organizational leaders are picking up a new way of leading: encouraging employees to find their own solutions (Starr, 2004). Organizations have found that coaching has leveraged the potential of individuals and improved employee performance and development (Wilson, 2004).

By investing more into individuals, organizations have received their return of investment through an overall higher performance and productivity (Wilson, 2004). Ownership, acknowledgement and a blame-free culture are results of coaching in the workplace (Wilson, 2004). Employees are less reliant on leadership to make decisions as individuals who are more confident in responding resourcefully (Starr, 2004). Moreover, turnover rates lower and employees become intrinsically motivated to perform because they feel seen and valued by their leadership (Starr, 2004). The bottom line is that coaching appreciates the people of an organization, which is a practice that many organizations lack in their leadership (Crane, 2002).

So, are any of these disciplines better than the other? The answer is no. Each discipline with its own benefits and value, gaining understanding and role clarity can help us differentiate where mentoring, therapy, consulting and coaching are appropriate. Again, all of the mentioned disciplines are people-oriented and beneficial to individuals in unique ways, each with distinguished methodology and approaches. As mentoring is the transfer of expertise, therapy is a dive into a person’s history. As coaching empowers individuals to move forward, consulting facilitates change and provides recommendations. Each discipline has its benefits and offerings to the workplace, but it is significant to understand the roles of each discipline, so that they can be used appropriately in the varying contexts of the workplace.

References

Berman, W. H., & Bradt, G. (2006). Executive coaching and consulting:" Different strokes for different folks". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 37(3), 244.

Block, P. (2011) Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Experience Used. Wiley.

Bluckert, P. (2005), "The similarities and differences between coaching and therapy", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 37 No. 2, pp. 91-96.

Crane, T. G. (2002). The heart of coaching: Using transformational coaching to create a high- performance coaching culture. San Diego, CA: FTA Press

Klofsten, M., & Öberg, S. (2012). Chapter 4 Coaching versus Mentoring: Are There Any Differences?'. New Technology-Based Firms in the New Millennium (New Technology Based Firms in the New Millennium, Volume 9). Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 39-47.

Leonard-Cross, E. (2010). Developmental coaching: Business benefit–fact or fad? An evaluative study to explore the impact of coaching in the workplace. International Coaching Psychology Review, 5(1), 36-47.

Starr, J. (2004), "The manager’s role in coaching Overcoming barriers to success", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 9-12.

Wilson, C. (2004), "Coaching and coach training in the workplace", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 96-98.